Page 81 of Until Bax

“What time is Kourtney leaving tomorrow?”

Lifting my head, I look across the room as the overhead light is flipped off, leaving just the soft glow from the bedside lamp on his side.

“She has to leave here by four to catch her flight, but she’s driving herself and parking in the long-term lot, so she’ll have her car when she gets back from LA,” I say as he walks around to the opposite side of the bed.

“When will that be?”

“I think two weeks, which is good since the security company isn’t able to install a system until the week after next.”

“She mentioned that yesterday.” He drags me across the mattress to him as Gemma settles at the end of the bed. “I have my cameras until then, and two of them face her house. If anyone comes around, hopefully, we’ll be able to catch them on video and figure out who they are.”

“I hope so,” I whisper, resting my hand on his stomach as a chill slides down my spine. “I hate not knowing who’s doing these things.”

His hand on my hip tightens while his fingers move to my jaw, and he tips my head back his way. “We’ll figure it out.” The statement and the look in his eyes are firm and unyielding, making me believe him. “Do you want to read, or are you ready to sleep?”

“Sleep,” I mumble, and he dips his chin, touching his mouth to mine before he lets me go and leans over to shut off the light. When he lays back down, I crook my leg over his hip, and he grabs my wrist, holding it hostage against his chest.

“Night, baby.”

“Night.” I cuddle closer and close my eyes as I feel his lips press against the top of my head.

Despite being exhausted, I lie there awake for a long time, just listening to him breathe and the sound of his heart beating steadily against my ear, thinking about how right it feels being with him. It makes me wonder if I hadn’t decided to move home, would we have bumped into each other at some point and been drawn to each other enough to want to explore things? Or did we need everything that’s happened in order to push us past our reservations?

I’d like to think we would have wanted to explore things even without the situations that kept pushing us together, but I think there was something bigger than the two of us at work. And whatever that was, it knew we needed a reason to spend time together, to get to know each other, and to realize that we actually liked each other—or more-than-liked each other.

CHAPTER24

Olivia

With rain suddenly splashing against my windshield, I flip on my wipers and wait for a huge truck to pass me before I turn onto the two-lane road that leads to town. This morning, I left Bax’s house later than I should have, after he and I had a shower that left me with no choice but to blow out my hair that had gotten wet.

Not that I regret that shower. I might have gotten my hair wet, but the two orgasms I had were worth it.

Noticing a figure dressed in black walking on the side of the road, I cringe when I see the side mirror of the truck in front of me come within inches of hitting them. With no sidewalk and barely a shoulder, I wonder if the person walking realizes they are risking their life. This road is dangerous on the best of days, and today is not one of those days.

As I start to pass them, I go to my left as far as I can without going into the other lane, then glance over, noting that it’s an older woman wearing an apron for the grocery store down the street from the spa. She looks soaked through with rain and absolutely miserable.

Glancing up at my rearview mirror, I check behind me to make sure there isn’t another car coming, then slow and pull over as far as the narrow shoulder allows while still giving her room. As the woman approaches, I watch her in my side mirror. She looks nervous, but I’d probably be nervous too if a car pulled up next to me on the side of the road and I didn’t know the driver.

Hitting the button to roll down the passenger window, I wait for her to get close, then call out, “Hey, are you heading to Publix?”

“I am.” She peers through the window, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m a woman, but she visibly relaxes.

“Awesome, I’m going that way. Do you want a ride?”

“Are you sure?” She looks up when a car going in the opposite direction speeds past.

“Yeah.” I hit the unlock button, and she opens the door, sliding into the seat.

“Thank you so much.” She shivers, holding her hands close to one of the vents as I pull back onto the road. “My car broke down, so I’ve been walking to work for the past few weeks. It hasn’t been so bad, but this rain came out of nowhere.”

“I don’t think the weather guys actually know what the weather is going to be on any given day,” I say, and she laughs. “Do you know when you’ll get your car back?”

“I don’t. I’m staying with my elderly parents, and most of the money I make goes into helping take care of them. But hopefully soon.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I have it better than a lot of people. Plus, this leaves me no excuse to avoid getting in my steps every day.” She laughs, and I smile at her positive outlook—something that most people in her situation wouldn’t have.

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